Background Reading: – Joseph Goes To Bethlehem

2:1 Now in those days an order was published by Caesar Augustus who ruled from 27BC to AD14, that the whole world [i.e. Roman world] should be registered. 2 This was the first registration taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 So all the people went to their hometowns to be registered.

4 Joseph, too, went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David (called Bethlehem), because he was a descendant of the household and family of David.Luke 2:1-4

More Information:

Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David, Israel’s royal family.

Mary and Joseph had an arranged marriage as was the custom of the time. The papers as made it legal were signed at the time of the arrangement of the marriage.

This may even have happened before the two people had met. Not like our western custom where the legal papers are signed at the time of the marriage.